In Another Time
by Sabaku-No-Gaara1994
Summary: In a pre-industrial Amestris alliances are shaky, but when their leader is killed but a neighboring village they send their best. But when the men come back they are not the same, and not all of them have someone to help pick up all the pieces. Roy/Ed
1. Chapter 1

In Another Time

Chapter 1

Amestris was nothing but a village of a few thousand people. The times where tough but the people were relatively happy. They each had their jobs to do, potters, hunters, solders, smiths, scholars, and cooks. They had been brought up with the skills of their parents. In Edward and Alphonse Elrics case it was an old woman and her grand daughters profession. Their parents had died when they where very young when a village to the north Drachma had attacked them only to be fought off by the then leader Bradley.

Now Amestris was led by an elderly man named Grumman, with Olivia Armstrong as his second in command. Grumman had tried to promote peace with the bordering villiages surrounding them with mixed results.

Ed Elric was a smith, possibly the best in all of Amestris. His brother Alphonse, or just Al, was good but not as good as his older, albeit shorter, brother. They had been taught by the Rockbells who were known as the best smiths on the entire continent.

Roy Mustang, Alex Armstrong, Maes Hughes, and Solf Kimblee were the best soldiers the small village had to offer. In a time of swords and shield Roy Mustang was unmatched amongst his own soldiers and any other villages soldiers. His back was always watched by his close friends Jean Havoc and Riza Hawkeye. It was strange for a woman to be a part of any army but when you laid eyes on Riza Hawkeye you knew she was not a person to be trifled with.

Roy Mustang was the best swordsman in any village and everyone knew it, his skill with a sword was rivaled only by Hughes intellect, Alex Armstrongs physical strength and Kimblees sadistic nature.

Roy carried a zanbato into every battle. The sword was longer then the man was tall. It had taken Ed quite a long time to craft such a large weapon, Roy had come by the forge quite a lot while he was crafting it. Ed always asked if the sword was trying to over compensate for something. Roy never dignified that with a response.

Ed woke up at dawn to start working the forge, the solders always needed a steady supply of weapons. Amestris was threatened on almost every side, though Drachma in the north was always the most guarded. They were constantly under attack. Word of a growing army in the southeast was just reaching the medium sized village.

Ed stood in the running water of the shower. His metal arm was water proof so he didn't worry about it. Winry was the best when it came to automail. Al was the best when it came to armor and Ed was the best when it came to weaponry. Only one soldier had decided to completely forgo armor, and his name was Roy Mustang.

Alarms began going off in the northern end of the village and Ed watched as Kimblee and Roy ran off, they lived here in the south side. Hughes and Armstrong lived in the north so they were the first ones there. Drachma had sent a group of border skirmishers.

Hughes was confused, he could not understand why they would send such a small force to attack. It was made up of only fifty men give or take. Roy probably could have taken them by himself. They didn't fight as if they wanted to be here either. He could tell their hearts weren't in this fight. Alex had taken most of them apart by the time Kimblee and Roy showed up.

"It seems we missed all the fun." Roy said walking up and standing next to Maes. Roy could tell something was bothering his friend. The two had grown up together and had been best of friends ever since.

"I don't get it. If Drachma wanted to overrun us they could. They could have sent a larger force and would have pushed past us by the time you got here. It doesn't make any sense." Hughes said deep in though. Roy could tell the man was more thinking out loud then having a conversation.

Ed saw them come over the hill and quickly hid as many people as he could in his basement and then he and Al stood at the forge weapons in hand. Roy had taken the time to show both the basics of swordsmanship. Ed was a quick learner but if push came to shove he knew he wouldn't last long against fully trained soldiers.

That's when a large bald man stepped in between the two boys and the fairly large group of soilders that were quickly setting upon the village.

"Yoy boys go inside and stay there." he said quietly. Ed and Al looked at each other and ran inside, but watched the large man. He was burly, almost as big as Alex Armstrong, but his mustache was black. "I am Bas Grand, no solider in this village is as well versed as I in the art of.." He was unable to finish his sentence before he was cut down by a man with a x shaped scar across his face.

Ed put his hand over Als mouth as to not alert the dark-skinned red-eyed men. There were maybe twenty or so and as hot-headed as Ed was he knew when to pick a fight. They moved through the village slaughtering as may people as they could, though there were not many as most had been hiden.

They moved through and where gone as quickly as they had come. That's when they heard the alarm from the center of the village.

Roy and Maes quickly turned around and set off towards Grummans house. It was at the dead center of the village and they knew what had happened. Drachma had flanked them, but what they saw surprised both of them. They saw bodies from both sides laying on the ground, but the enemies where not from Drachma. They were Ishvalians.


	2. Chapter 2

Roy-22

Maes-22

Alex Armstong-23

Ed-17

Al-16

Kimblee-25

In Another Time

chapter 2

Grumman had been killed by the Ishvalians. They had sent a small group while everyone else had been distracted by the Drachma soldiers. What surprised Hughes was Bas Grand was found dead and it seemed as if he didn't take anyone with him.

Right now things were being rebuilt, but Roy, Maes, Kimblee, and Alex Armstrong where standing in Olivia Armstrong's office. Each being briefed on what was going to happen next.

"You're all going to Ishvale, and you aren't coming back until they are no longer a problem." Olivia said through gritted teeth.

"How will we know when they won't be a problem anymore." Maes asked. It was Roy who spoke, he understood what she was trying to get across.

"When there are no more Ishavlian people to start trouble." he said solemnly. He knew what she was asking them to do was terrible, but it was their jobs to do it. None of them would come back the same, and many people who would come with them wouldn't return at all.

"Each of you will put a group together, fifteen to twenty people, and attack from each side of the village until you all meet in the center. We can not allow something like this to happen again. We need to send a message to the other villages." Oliva said sitting down behind her desk. "Dismissed." She said and waved them out.

Ed and Al were helping the rebuilding of the south side of the village. He watched as Roy trudged past them without even looking at anyone. Ed felt a pain in his chest seeing the man so visibly down-trodden. He was usually so confident.

Al was looking at his brother, who in turn was looking at Roy, who in turn was looking at the ground.

"Whats wrong brother" Al asked.

"Theres something wrong with the bastard." Ed replied after a few seconds.

"When did you start caring?" Al responded.

Ed fumbled through words that made no sense together before he decided it wasn't worth going into and got back, half-heartedly, to the task at hand. His thoughts though were still on a certain raven haired, onyx eyed man who had taken up space in his heart. Though nobody knew, and he didn't expect to ever tell anyone.

When Al saw the man though he could see something was terribly wrong so he ran over to him, with Ed not far behind him.

"Whats wrong Mr. Mustang?" Al asked.

"Grumman is dead. They are sending us to Ishval in the southeast." Roy Mustangs voice lacked any confidence. Both boys eyes went wide when the news that the head of the village was dead.

"What do you mean us?" Ed asked.

"All of us. The soldiers." Was all the answer Roy gave them. He bent down to look both of them in the eyes. "You boys take care of yourselves ok. Somethings are going to change and they may not be for the best." He put his hands on Eds shoulder and then stood up and walked away.

"That bastard." Ed grumbled.

"He does really care about us brother." Al said.

The two went back to helping out the rest of the village. The hours passed quickly until the sun was almost set and that's when they saw the soldiers walking in lines behind each of their commanding officers. First went Maes Hughes, he nodded to the Elrics. Then Alex Armstrong and his men. He looked as if he had been carved out of stone, and so did his men. Then Solf Kimblee, he was psychotic and his men were as well. Lastly they saw Roy Mustang, Jean Havoc and Riza Hawkeye on either side of him.

Roy looked directly at Ed and the younger man could see that not only was his heart not in this war but he could see that there were a lot of things that Roy wished he could have said to Ed. Feelings Ed knew all to well. He ran up to the older man and punched him in the chest.

"You better not die bastard." Ed said all but holding back tears.

"I would never dream of such a thing." Roy said with a smile that Ed melted under.

"We really should be going Roy." Havoc said. Roy nodded and put his hand on Eds shoulder.

"I will come back and maybe then we can talk about a few things." Roy said. Ed nodded not trusting his voice to say anything else. Ed watched as the man he loved walked away to fight in a war that he may not come back from. He smacked himself, he was acting like a girl. Roy was the best fighter in any village there was no way he wasn't going to be coming back.

Ed stood there staring at where Roy's squad had disappeared from view. Al walked up and stood next to him.

"He'll be back. Don't worry so much brother." Al said clasping his older brothers shoulder. He heard Ed sniffle but he would claim otherwise.

"The bastard better."


	3. Chapter 3

In Another Time

chapter 3

It had taken two weeks just to get to Ishvale and another week to get everyone in position. They had set up camps at each end of the village, which was much larger than Amestris. They spent another few days doing recon. They found out very quickly that the man with the Scared face was the villages best fighter, that and everyone in the village was trained in combat, including the women.

Roy paid much attention to the man he had dubbed Scar, he was faster than him, but Roy was stronger. It would make for a very interesting fight.

Everything went off without a hitch except for Kimblee, he had gone in a day earlier than anyone else and managed to get himself killed. His men though were still causing mayhem in the south side of the village.

Roy was cutting down men and women alike, they learned very quickly that even the women fought like men in Ishvale. They had been fighting for weeks, each day they would attack the village, and then when they returned to camp the Ishvaians would starta counter-attack. Now they were inside the village and each of Mustangs swings brought down four or five people every time. Havoc was at his back wielding two short blades. Hawkeye could be seen fighting on par with the man who Roy had dubbed Scar, which quickly caught on over the last few weeks here. He had been responsible for more Amestris soldiers deaths than any other Ishvalian.

Roy found himself covered in the blood of other men and yet he continued to swing, it was like they would never stop coming. Every sword put up in defense was cut through like butter. Ed made the best weapons and it was a simple fact. Every enemy sword that hit an armored plate of his men stopped dead in its tracks, and he thanked Al for making such quality armor.

Roy felt his mouth go dry and his heart jump into his throat as he watched Scar run Hawkeye through and then as she was on her knees he proceeded to slit her throat. Roy felt the rock he had built his life on drop from underneath him. He gave one powerful swing that sent ten people to their deaths.

He rushed the man throwing his zanbato down and pulling out a much shorter knife, it was about the length of his forearm and he reminded his men of a cobra, quick and deadly, no matter what weapon he used he could wield it with speed unmatched and strength no one could comprehend.

Scar was caught off guard as he felt a boot land in the dead center of his chest. He was sent back into the wall behind him and quickly dodged more strikes than even he himself could have thrown. Scar was dodging and moving almost as fast as Roy was attacking. Scar quickly bent down grabbed a handful of sand and through it in Mustangs face, and as quickly as he did that he stepped inside Roy's guard and stabbed him in the left eye.

Everything stopped, nobody moved as Roy Mustang fell to his knees. All Roy could hear was a constant scream of "Roy!" from every direction, but he only heard one voice, and it belonged to a golden eyed young man from his village. The very same village he had come here to secure in the future. He knew he must be crazy, 'there was no way I could really be hearing Eds voice though, I must just be hallucinating from the knife that's sticking out of my eye' he thought to himself.

"He is dead!" Scar shouted and everything had stopped, even the Ishvalian people were startled that Scar had won that fast, but they should have none that nothing in war is for certain.

Scar lifted his hands up in victory, he honestly believed it would be that easy. Roy pulled together every last ounce of strength he had in his body and pulled out the knife that was lodged in his eye. He quickly came up behind Scar and slit his throat. Scar grabbed his throat and turned around, and as he did so Roy slammed the knife down into his forehead and then broke the blade off inside.

The Ishvalians had stopped fighting on the spot. The Amestris on the other hand started fighting with renewed vigor. The Ishvalians were being slaughtered but it seemed that they didn't care, like watching Scar die killed any chance of them actually winning this war that had now quickly turned into an extermination.

Havco quickly cut down a Ishvalian that a second ago was pressing him back and ran over to Roy. He tore off the sleeve of shirt and wrapped it around his head over his eye. As quickly as he could he lifted Roy up onto his back and ran full speed back to the camp they had set up so Roy could be treated.

Ed awoke startled, it had been almost a month and he could feel in his gut that something bad had happened, he didn't know what but he had quickly learned to trust his instincts. He realized that he wasn't going back to sleep any time soon. Wearing a long shirt and a pair of boxers. His long golden blonde hair falling all around his face. Even in the dark of the room he could see his bright golden eyes almost shining back at him in the mirror.

He had always found that strange, he and Al were the only people in the entire village that had gold-colored eyes, and Roys eyes were just as strange, they where almost black, a deep onyx color. They were easy to get lost in. When ever he came around the forge during work hours Ed had always become distracted which in turn would cause him to lash out and yell for Roy to leave.

He would never tell Roy that was why he yelled at him so much though. He stripped down and walked into the bathroom and got a shower. Amestris had been built on a hot spring and there was a group of people who worked pumping water to the town, when their former leader Bradley had been in power he had the people lay pipes that connected to the pumps. They were one of the few villages to have water in their homes.

He got out and shook his hair; water splashing on the walls. He had been in the shower for quite a long time. He put on a black button up shirt, his red hooded jacket, and a pair of black work pants. He walked out to the forge and got the fires going. It took an hour or so for the fire to get hot enough to start forging steel. He picked out a half-finished sword with his real hand and the hammer with his automail arm and began working.

It took another hour or so for the sun to start to rise. Roy found himself laying in a bed, but found his vision on the left side of his face was blocked when he opened his eyes. He found Havoc asleep in a chair next to the said bed he awoke in.

"Whats happening Havoc." Roy said kicking the chair.

Havoc woke up with a start and fell, the chair and the man hitting the ground, but as fast as Roy blinked Havoc was back on his feet.

"Hughes sent word, the east side is secure. The man who took over Kimblees division, Frank Archer sent a runner as well The south side has been completely cleared. We are just waiting now for Armstrong's division to send word." Havoc went on. Roy was no longer paying attention though, he was wondering just how they had managed to wipe out the Ishvalian village in one day.

"Not all of them died sir. The village was about a fourth empty when we got here, and more probably got out as the fighting started. Not to mention the trading caravans." Havoc said as if he had read Roy's mind.

"What about our own sector Havoc. Has it been cleared?" Roy croaked out. Havoc chuckled, though half-hearted, "Sir we were the firsts ones done. After you took down Scar the rest of them just gave up. We didn't encounter anymore resistance or lose a single man after that." Havoc said. Roy nodded.

"I think I need to rest." he said and Havoc nodded.

"I'll just wait outside then sir. If you need anything just call." and Havoc left the room.

'I just participated in the genocide of an entire race of people." Mustang thought to himself as tears rolled down his face. He thought of all the friends he lost in the last week and he still couldn't find a good reason for why this had all come to pass.


	4. Chapter 4

In Another Time

Chapter 4

It was another week before the soldiers came back to Amestris. The whole village was there to welcome them back. Ed and Al were in front of everyone and when they saw the men their hearts sank. They looks dejected, and as if nothing in their lives were ever going to be good again. They were carrying sleds and horses were pulling flat carriages full of bodies.

At the back of the convoy they found Maes and Roy, who was wearing a cloth over his left eye. When Ed tried to ask him about it Hughs shook his head and he dropped it.

"Well if it isn't the heroes of the war." Olivia Armstong said as she came upon Roy and Maes. Ed watched Roy flinch at the word hero.

"We are no heroes Olivia." Roy said quietly. Olivia went wide-eyed and then she got angry.

"You secured this villages future and you don't consider your self a hero?" she asked in disbelief. Even Ed was having a hard time believing the words coming out of Mustangs mouth.

Roy shook his head and walked away from them, leaving behind Maes and Ed and even Olivia. He didn't even walk, he trudged. It was possibly the most depressing thing Ed had ever seen in his life.

"What is wrong with him, is it the eye thing?" Olivia asked Hughes.

"I don't think you would understand." Hughes replied.

"I've fought in war Hughes, I know what its like to take a life." Olivia Armstrong replied through gritted teeth.

"What we just went through wasn't a war Olivia." Hughes shouted, no one had ever seen Hughes get mad before, he was always so light-hearted. "What we just went through was an extermination. We just wiped out an entire race of people!" he finished and stormed off.

Ed had never seen either men like that, it did not take long for him to realize things were much worse than he could have ever imagined. Roy came back, and he may not be in one piece, but it was much worse than outwards appearances let on.

The village was in a time of celebration. Their sons were home and they no longer had to worry about a surprise attack any time soon. The attack on the Ishvalians had let the other villages know Amestris was not playing around anymore, if they wanted war then they would get war. Pretty soon, Dracma, and every other village had backed off.

Ed found himself at Roy Mustangs door. There were parties and fun times happening all over the village but here was the man of the hour, so to speak, and he wanted nothing to do with it all. Ed knocked on the door but there was no answer. So he knocked again. After a few minutes Roy opened the door, he was wearing nothing but a towel, his black hair dripping down over his face, a cloth still over his eye.

"Hello Ed." Roy said, a softness in his voice Ed had never heard before. "You want to come in?" Ed nodded and Roy moved aside to let the shorter man in. Roy motioned to a chair in the living room and then disappeared into his room. He came out wearing a pair of jeans and a black button up shirt. He sat down in the chair across from Ed.

"Are you going somewhere?" Ed asked. He suddenly felt like this conversation could be put off. Roy shook his head.

"I don't feel like being congratulated for doing something terrible." he said not looking at Ed.

"What you did saved this village." Ed said. He wanted to keep this conversation lighthearted but that was going down the drain pretty fast.

"You have no clue what you're talking about." Roy snapped. Then he did the last thing Ed expected. He broke down. Roy Mustang was crying like a baby and ed had no idea what to say anymore. "We did such horrible things Ed. We are not men, and nor are we heros. We are just dogs. We go where were told to go and we come when were called.

His face fell into his hands and he began to sob, as if reliving those memories all over again. Ed stood up and walked across the room and crawled onto Roys lap. He was straddling the older mans hips and he lifted his head and looked him straight in the eye.

"If you and the other men didn't do what you did I doubt we would be here for much longer Roy." Ed said. Then he did something that surpirses him still to this day. He kissed him. He pressed his lips to Roys and everything seemed to melt away. Roy immediately responded, the tears stopped and it was like the man he knew was back. He stood up cupping Ed butt and walked over to the couch and laid the younger man down on his back and climbed on top of him.

At that moment the two had become one and the outside world ment nothing. It was just Roy and Ed, lips pressed firmly against each others neither giving quarter. When they ran out of breath and pulled away Roy looked down on Ed with his one god eye and Eds face turned bright red, he couldn't believe that was all it took. Just like that, he was never any good at talking, so he figured he would let actions make up for his lack of words.

Roy laid down next to Ed on the couch, and wrapped the smaller man up in his arms. "Im sorry I missed your birthday." Roy whispered. Ed had completely forgotten. Last week was his birthday, he was surpirsed Roy had remember.

"You remembered?" Ed asked.

"What and you didn't?" Roy replied.

"Maybe." Ed said and curled up against the older man.

"You mean you didn't even celebrate your birthday?" Roy asked in disblief

Ed hid his face in Roys chest, but it seemed Roy was having none of that. He pulled Ed back and looked at him.

"I know I'm all kinds of fucked up but tomorrow we are going to do something for your birthday." Roy said, he voice leaving no room for Ed to back down. He thought it over and nodded in agreement, and leaned back in on Roys chest.

"This is good enough though." Roy heard Ed mumble into his shoulder.


End file.
